Divider and divided tray



United States Patent O 2,900,'120 DIVIDER AND DIVIDED TRAY Merle A. Wichman, Appleton, Wis., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Can Company, New York,

N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 18, 1956, Serial N'o. 598,623 l1 Claim. (Cl. 229-15) This invention relates to a divided receptacle and unitary divider, preferably made of paperboard, to provide a container separated into a Series of separate compartments.

In the packaging of commodities, it is frequently desirable to place within a single package a variety of articles which should be maintained in separate and distinct divisions. To permit this separation, it is possible to manufacture (the receptacle or tray itself with divided elements, or alternatively to provide separate divider means for a single compartment tray or carton. This invention is concerned with the latter alternative, which in many instances is preferable, since it permits using the same basic tray or carton without the separate divider for the packaging of a single commodity as is used With a divider for the packaging of a variety of items.

The objects and advantag'es of this invention Will be readily apparent from the following description and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the divider is formed,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the erected divider, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the divider and tray in erected condition.

Referring first to Figure l it is seen that the divider is made from a unitary blank A, which is divided into a series of hingedly connected side panels 1, 2, 3 and 4 by score lines 5, 6 and 7. A glue fiap 8 is -hingedly connected along score line 9 to the side edge of panel 4 opposite score line 7. Floor panels 10 and 11 are connected to the lower end edges of panels 1 and 3, respectively, along score lines 12 and 13.

The divider may be formed in collapsed condition by folding panel 4 and flap -8 about hinge line 7 to overlie panel 3, applying adhesive to the upper surface of flap 8, and then folding panels 1 and 10 about hinge line to overlie panel 2. This Will bring the side edge pontion of panel 1 opposite hinge line 5 into adhesive contact with flap 8. In the flat assembled condition thus achieved, the dividers may be shipped to the ultimate user without waste space and with a consequent minimum transportation expense.

In an obvious fashion, the thus assembled divider may be erected as shown in Figure 2, merely by squaring panels 1, 2, 3 and 4 to form a sleeve, and folding panels and 11 outwardly to lie perpendicularly to the panels to which they are hinged.

Figure 3 shows the divider in combination Witha conventional type tray 19. The tray is composed of a main or bottom panel 20, side panels 21 and 22 connected to the side edge of panel 20, and end panels 23 and 24 connected to the end edges of panel 20. Glue flaps 25, 26, 27 and 28 are hingedly connected to the side edges of panels 23 and 24, and are suitably adhered to side panels 21 and 22 to maintain the tray in erected position. The receptacle of course may be of any suitable sort, collapsible or noncollapsible, and might Well have a separate or integrally attached cover for closing the open top.

The divider is of course suitably dimensioned to provide a substantially snug fit the tray. That is, the

`sum of the length of panels 10 and 11 and Width of panels 2-4 should substantially equal the length dimension of tray 19, and the Width dimensions of panels 1, 3, 10 and 11 should each approximately equal the Width Patented Aug. 18, 1959 ECC . that side edge 14 of panel 11 (Figure 1) does not constitute an extension of hinge line 6, and panel 11 is slightly less in Width than panel 10. When this relative dimension of the central compartment of the tray is desired, modification of the blank as shown is necessary in order that a series of the blanks may be dovetailed in their manufacture, thus to acln'eve maximurn economy in manufacture. This procedure is well-known and conventional, and need not be further detailed here.

Panels 10 and 11 of the divider perform the primary purpose of' maintaining the divider in fixed position within the tray. Without panels 10 and 11, the elements defining the central division, formed by panels 1, 2, 3 and 4, are subject both to collapse and to longitudinal shifting within the tray. Such motion Would seriously interfere with filling of the compartments of the divided tray.

As shown in Figure 3, the divider snugly fits Within tray 19, and divides the tray into three distinct compartments, into which three different commodities may be inserted. It is obvious that by changing the propofrtions of the elements of divider, the proportions of the compartments might be changed as desired. The tray and divider are preferably made from paperboard, to which any of a variety of films or coatings, such as foil, polyethylene and Wax, might be applied for the purpose of achieving greaseproofness, moistureproofness and the like.

Having noW described the invention, it is to be understood that limitation thereof is intended only insofar as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

In the combination of a receptacle having opposed side walls, opposed end Wall and a bottom Wall, and a sleeve snugly positioned therein to form a pair of separate end compartments and an intermediate compartment therebetween, said sleeve being formed from a unitary blank cut and scored to provide a first pair of opposed side panels having a length less than the length of the side walls of the receptacle, a second pair of opposed end panels, said end panels having a Width slightly less than the Width of the end walls of the receptacle, said panels being hingedly connected together along their side edges, a floor panel hingedly connected to each of the lower edges of said end panels and folded outwardly to lie perpendicularly to said end panels, the edges of said floor panels being adjacent the end walls and in abutment With the side wall portions of the receptacle, the combined length of said fioor panels and Width of said side panels being substantially equal to the length of the side Walls of the receptacle, said end panels being spaced from the end walls of the receptacle to form end compartments adjacent the end Walls of the receptacle, said side panels being juxtapose'd in face contact With the side walls of the receptacle to provide said intermediate and end compartments completely separate from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

